Algae. We’ve already seen stories about how algae might become a great way to produce “biodiesel.” Now comes news out of Britain that algae might be a more eco-friendly way to dye textiles for clothing. Wired’s got the story:
British scientists have developed a way to grow harmless algae to add color to fabric and paint. The algae, called diatoms, are single-celled organisms that are unique because they pack iridescent shells. The hard silica shells act like crystals — depending on the configuration of the holes in the shell, the color changes. The perception of color is maintained without altering the chemical composition of fabric, which is a fundamentally different way of producing color.
“As the paint dries, they will all align themselves horizontally at the surface, all reflecting light the same way,” said Andrew Parker, the Oxford researcher who helped develop the new technique. “So, even though you have completely transparent paint and completely transparent silica shells, they will produce a very strong color.”
The new process could be both safer and less expensive than traditional dye processes, which use a lot of chemicals and leave a lot of potentially dangerous waste behind.
Indeed, according to Wired, some experts caution that residue of heavy metals like cadmium and known carcinogens remain in clothing after current dying processes. “Diatoms, by contrast, are kinder to the environment,” says Wired. “Companies are already attempting to harness them for a variety of purposes, like making ‘biocrude’ diesel.”
